The Mind: Christian and Ameircan

“Vocation” is found only once in the NT, and that is in Ephesians 4:1, to begin the exegesis in the chapter from God and God through the Apostle Paul, of what it should and must mean for you when you accept or have accepted your calling in the Christian Vocation. Called and calling is the equivalent of the Christian Vocation. You see that in the first 4 verses of Ephesians 4:” I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling…” (Ephesians 4:1-4)
Once pointed out, you can not miss it: (1) the Christian “vocation wherewith ye are called”; and (2) “you are called in one hope of your calling”. The Christian vocation is unique as compared to other vocations in the world as every single born again Christian has the same vocation. It in the seven ONEs is one hope and one calling.

2. The Ascended Christ gives gifts to men to carry out distinctively their Christian vocation. {Of course, there is always the one hope of all for guaranteed perfection on the new earth.}

Granted it seems a little boring that all have the same Christian vocation or calling, but there are more verses in Ephesians 4 and other Bible. In other words, this is true but that is not the complete story. For example in jumping ahead to verses 7 and 8, each Christian calling or vocation is different according to the selection of grace and gifts from Christ.7 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
This can be a challenge to understanding unless you are following the doctrine of Christ studies in Hebrews where the Ascended Christ shares benefits with partakers of His divinity, alias “to many as received Him gave He them power to become sons of God.” And also unless you know more about the subject of “gifts” in other epistles of Paul, a more detailed subject to be followed later in another devotional. And since Ephesians 4:8 about the ascended Christ and gifts is a quote from Psalm 68:18, part of the challenge to understanding is to understand 68:18 in the total context of Psalm 68, or at least in a few verses before and after verse 18.“The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels: the Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place. Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell among them. Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah. He that is our God is the God of salvation; and unto GOD the Lord belong the issues from death. {Every soul belongs to God from the moment of death as there is no longer any freedom of choice. The control is all of God.} But God shall wound the head of his enemies, and the hairy scalp of such an one as goeth on still in his trespasses.” (Psalm 68:17-21)

The point is in the power of the Ascended Christ over the kingdom of Christ. Christ “received gifts for men” from God the Father–part of that unison in the doctrine of Christ with partaker perfection, a life time process only completed in the New earth. Well, in turn from His position of power and Lordship, Christ has the right to dish out grace and gifts in individual Christian vocations. The bottom line of Psalm 68 that God daily loads us with benefits has to do something for you.

Share this:

Like this:

LikeLoading...

Published by sungrist3in1

Newer profile for Scottish Corner Research and Photos to a fighting Highlander; however it would seem that they more accurately made contributions as farmers and Presbyterians, also contributing to the Scot and Scot-Irish pioneer spirit that made such a contribution to America. Often settlers would strive to use them as "arrow catchers" outside their own settlements. However, in search of land for a living, they were up to the task. The big rural Ulster scene reminds us of perhaps the main thrust for pioneering with a farm scene, courtesy of Scot in Ulster.
Of course even in Ulster they felt pressures against freedom of worship from the Anglicans and Irish Catholics.
http://www.biblecombibleman.com/ScottishCorner.html﻿
View all posts by sungrist3in1